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Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital researchers are studying concussions in student athletes by monitoring hits to the head through mouth guards that track the location and force of the hit.

Our researchers are some of the first to combine the use of this unique equipment to track and monitor concussions while also studying student athletes through physical, emotional and behavioral assessments

St. Petersburg, Fla. (PRWEB)December 05, 2016

Researchers at Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital want to learn more about the effects concussions have on the growing brains of young athletes. Over the course of three years, researchers will study concussions and changes in brain function by monitoring hits to the head through unique mouth guards. The mouth guards, equipped with special sensors, will track the location and force of the hit. The sensors store data which is then retrieved for researchers to study.

Researchers are also performing neuropsychologic assessments to monitor changes in cognitive, emotional and behavioral function over time. Additionally, they are collecting biospecimens, including urine, blood and saliva, with a goal to discover whether there may be new biomarkers that indicate a brain injury and how a young athlete’s body might respond.

“Our researchers are some of the first to combine the use of this unique equipment to track and monitor concussions while also studying student athletes through physical, emotional and behavioral assessments,” says George Jallo, M.D. director of the Johns Hopkins All Children’s Institute for Brain Protection Sciences. “Last year, Johns Hopkins All Children’s Sports Medicine Concussion Clinic treated more than 500 concussion cases. Our hope is that this research will help us better diagnose and treat concussions in children in the future.”

The concussion study is made possible by a $500,000 grant from the All Children’s Hospital Foundation.

View this video to learn more about this concussion study

About Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital
Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital in St. Petersburg is a leader in children’s health care, combining a legacy of compassionate care focused solely on children since 1926 with the innovation and experience of one of the world’s leading health care systems. The 259-bed teaching hospital, ranked as a U.S. News & World Report Best Children’s Hospital, stands at the forefront of discovery, leading innovative research to cure and prevent childhood diseases while training the next generation of pediatric experts. With a network of Johns Hopkins All Children’s Outpatient Care centers and collaborative care provided by All Children’s Specialty Physicians at regional hospitals, Johns Hopkins All Children’s brings care closer to home. Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital consistently keeps the patient and family at the center of care while continuing to expand its mission in treatment, research, education and advocacy. For more information, visit HopkinsAllChildrens.org.